Banged-up Rangers enter Floridas first Winter Classic in need of key win over Panthers
MIAMI — The hockey gods bestowed upon the Sunshine State two days with sub-70 temperatures just in time for this year’s Winter Classic. It is set to be unlike any other outdoor game the NHL has put on since the Rangers were the first club to participate in one on Sept.27, 1991, when they took on the Kings in a preseason game on a rink built over the parking lot of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.
LoanDepot park, the home of MLB’s Miami Marlins, will open its retractable roof Friday and host the first outdoor hockey game in Florida. The challengers: The back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers, and the Rangers, who will look to maintain their perfect 5-0-0 record in outdoor games. Both teams enjoyed lively practices and a family skate that followed.Both teams are also on the outside looking in on the playoff picture.
The two points that are up for grabs Friday mean something to each team, making the matchup all the more pivotal in the Eastern Conference race. “I think it’s a fun practice,” Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin said.“But it’s not going to be a fun game.
It’s a battle for us and we need two points as soon as possible.We need to work hard for that.” Neither team will be even close to full strength when they take the ice for an 8 p.m.
start. Despite the fact that he’s resumed skating, Matthew Tkachuk (groin) will not play for the Panthers.Captain Aleksander Barkov (knee), Dmitry Kulikov (upper body) and Tomas Nosek (knee) are all unavailable as well. The Rangers won’t have their captain either, despite the fact that he resumed skating with the team for the first time Thursday in a red noncontact jersey.
Conor Sheary (lower body) and Noah Laba (upper body), who were injured in D.C., joined Adam Edstrom (lower body) in the dugout to watch practice. While the on-ice prod...